After combing through all 362 pages of Kitchen Confidential, I realized it was the best book on graphic design that I’ve ever read. Through every page, I realized that even though he was speaking to the rough and tumble kitchen crowd, he could also be speaking to the tight-jean-war-time-era-haircuts of the graphic design world.

Don’t steal. This is a given. From your peers or employers. From your peers, you can treat them as sources of inspiration. I spend a good chunk of time on Brand New, BP&O, Designspiration. I soak it in via osmosis and just let it settle, and those influences’ll slowly work their way out through my mouse finger. But don’t steal, you asshole. This community is tiny. We’re all working our asses off. And lord knows yours will be handed to you by the social media army if you decide to nip another’s piece. I speak from experience (from the good side, obviously).